POLICE have called for Scotland's stricter drink-drive limit to be enforced across the rest of the UK.

Police have called for Scotland's stricter drink-drive limit to be enforced across the UK

The Police Federation wants the Government to drop the limit from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millimetres of blood, while also warning of a need to address drink-driving by women.

Scotland reduced the drink-drive limit to the lower level at the end of last year and Northern Ireland is considering a similar plan.

The number of casualties and accidents caused by drink driving has been falling steadily since 1979, according to Department for Transport figures.

But the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers in England and Wales, said that it was largely because male drivers had changed their drinking habits.

Although more men than women are still caught drink-driving, female convictions are increasing as a proportion of all cases.

The issue is set to be discussed at the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) annual conference later.

Victoria Martin, a chief inspector working at the PFEW, said: "We would like to see a lower drink-drive limit, as most other European countries have, as well as Scotland, which saw a marked reduction in failed breathalyser tests as soon as the law was changed last year.

We would like to see a lower drink-drive limit, as most other European countries have, as well as Scotland, which saw a marked reduction in failed breathalyser tests as soon as the law was changed last year

Police Federation chief inspector Victoria Martin

"We would like to see road safety back on the national and local agenda."

Ms Martin is calling for action to address statistics compiled by Social Research Associates, which showed that nearly one in six women admitted to driving when they thought they were over the limit.

Many who responded to a survey last year were also unaware how much alcohol would put them over the threshold.

Ms Martin said: "We've seen a steep decline in men drink-driving over the years, with targeted advertising campaigns, which is great, but women don't seem to be getting the same message.

"It seems we have a worrying trend, with females still flouting the drink-drive limit, sometimes scarily unaware, putting themselves and others in danger as well as adding to the drain on police resources."

The annual conference in Bournemouth begins amid warnings about the impact of further Government cuts to services, with around 17,000 officers having been slashed from police forces since 2010.

Warnings about the effects of austerity have been issued ahead of the conference, which has been given the subtitle 'Cuts Have Consequences'.

Steve White, chairman of the PFEW, has claimed policing is "on its knees" and cannot sustain any more cuts.

However, Sara Thornton, chairwoman of the National Police Chiefs' Council, rejected the assessment.

She said: "Despite the challenges, we are by no means a service on our knees."

The most significant item on the agenda is likely to be an address tomorrow by Home Secretary Theresa May - her first major public speech since being reinstalled in the post following the Tories' election victory.

Last year Mrs May stunned delegates with an uncompromising speech in which she delivered a number of bombshell reforms and reeled off a list of scandals which have blighted the reputation of police in recent years.

Counter-terrorism, cyber crime, child protection and drink-driving are among issues that will be discussed at the conference.